Top Ten Tips for Hiring a car in Lanzarote

Hiring a car abroad can be a mine field, with so many decisions to be made from what type of car you choose to the company you book with, you want to be sure that you have considered everything when choosing car hire in Lanzarote.

We hope that our list of top ten tips will help you to plan and prepare this part of your holiday to Lanzarote so that you can relax knowing that everything that is all under control.

Buy now – pay later. How many times have we heard this offer before? In the context of car hire it can be very useful. Once you have paid out for flights and your accommodation there may not be too much left in the kitty for car hire at the time you want to book. With an option of reserving your car and paying when you arrive you can relax knowing that your perfect hire car will be waiting for you when you get there, without having to pay months in advance.

Family Fun – if you are travelling with your family then make sure you are choosing a car that does meet your needs. Do you need car seats and are they included in the price? Will you need more than one person to do the driving and if so will that cost any extra? Planning ahead will mean stress free travelling!

Small print – We understand what it’s like when you are in a hurry, that all important small print can get missed. When buying and hiring anything make sure you read the small print. What might the company charge extra for? What are the fuel rules? What are the insurance rules? Checking that fine print can make the world of difference if it means that you arrive with everything you need to get your vehicle quickly and effortlessly.

Lanzarote is hot – We know that this probably sounds obvious, but if you are travelling to Lanzarote from a country that isn’t so hot, then air conditioning in your hire car may not cross your mind. Whilst most hire car companies entire fleets have air conditioning, it is worth double checking, because you will definitely need it here.

Get off the Beaten Track – if you are hoping to explore all the terrain that Lanzarote has to offer then you will definitely need a 4×4 vehicle. Perfect for rocky roads and accessing the undiscovered Lanzarote. Exploring in a car designed for the tough jobs means you will get to do it in comfort and style. Check the insurance terms though, particularly the exceptions of what is not covered as in some case your insurance may be invalidated if you head to certain areas and damage to the vehicle occurs.

Don’t forget your licence – check what your Lanzarote car hire company needs from you as proof of your eligibility to drive their cars. Mostly your own driver’s licence will suffice, but some companies require an international driving permit or a licence valid for driving in Europe.

Rules of the road – Do a bit of research about driving in the country you are visiting. For example, what side of the road will you need to drive on and what is the Highway Code for your country of choice. In Lanzarote there are no motorways, and outside of the main resort areas, traffic flows pretty freely. The national speed limit is 100km per hour on dual carriageways and as low as 40km per hour in built up areas, unless told otherwise.

Clarify the details – Do you know where you are picking up the car and what time you are dropping it off? Will you get penalised if you don’t bring it back on time? Do you need to print out proof of booking before you leave? Checking out all the details on the confirmation emails will help avoid lengthy delays and charges.

Age restrictions – Some hire car companies require their drivers to be experienced and over the age of 23. For some of the premium or higher band cars you may need to be over 25 with a minimum of 2 years driving experience. Definitely worth checking before you reserve or book your hire car so there are no nasty surprises when you arrive.

Have fun – driving abroad can give you a great deal of freedom, especially true in Lanzarote to most of this wonderful island. Once you are familiar with your hire car policy and its exemptions you can enjoy your holiday worry free.